Push-button switch apparatus having cam actuated switch contacts and selective illumination means

Claim 2

Pushbutton switch apparatus comprising: a plurality of pushbutton switch means each including a pushbutton member of light conducting material which moves between an extended position and a depressed position for operating an associated switch; illumination means for selectively illuminating the pushbutton members when they are moved into the depressed position, said illumination means including at least one light source provided in light-coupling relationship to a light guide member having a plurality of light conducting branches with light output ends; mounting means for mounting the light conducting branches in a fixed position behind the rear ends of the pushbutton members; and means for selectively light coupling said output ends to said rear ends in response to movement of the pushbutton members so that in the depressed position, but not in the extended position, the pushbutton members have their rear ends in light coupling relationship with the output ends of corresponding branches of said light guide member to enable the transmission of light into said selected pushbutton member through its rear end.

Claim 3

The switch apparatus of claim 1 in which the light source is a light bulb provided within an aperture in the light guide, and the light input ends of the light conducting branches are of different cross-sectional areas which increase in area for branches having their output ends a greater distance from the light bulb.

Claim 4

The switch apparatus of claim 2 in which the pushbutton members are arranged in a longitudinal row and the light bulb is energized through said switches only when a pushbutton member is depressed.

Claim 5

The switch apparatus of claim 1 which also includes a shutter means including light opaque shutter member provided between the light guide and the pushbutton members and having a plurality of apertures through which the pushbutton members are moved into their depressed positions, and a plurality of light opaque shutter doors closing said shutter apertures and extending between the output ends of the light guide branches and the input ends of the pushbutton members until said doors are moved open by a depressed pushbutton member.

Claim 6

The switch apparatus of claim 4 in which the shutter doors are leaf spring members formed integral with the shutter member out of a single sheet of metal.

Claim 7

Pushbutton switch apparatus comprising: a plurality of cam actuated switches each including at least one movable contact engaged by a Cam actuator; pushbutton means including a plurality of pushbutton members movable between an extended position and a depressed position, for moving the cam actuators of said switches to selectively operate said switches; lock means holding the selected pushbutton member in the depressed position and releasing said selected pushbutton member and causing it to return to the extended position when another pushbutton member is depressed; a circuit board having electrical circuit leads formed by insulated conductor strips provided thereon and having the movable contacts of said switches fixedly attached to said board and connected to said conductor strips; and mounting means mounting said pushbutton members on one side of said circuit board to enable movement of the pushbutton members and their associated cam actuators substantially parallel to said circuit board.

Claim 8

Pushbutton switch apparatus comprising: a plurality of cam actuated switches each including at least one movable contact engaged by a Cam actuator; pushbutton means including a plurality of pushbutton members movable between an extended position and a depressed position, for moving the cam actuators of said switches to selectively operate said switches; lock means holding the selected pushbutton member in the depressed position and releasing said selected pushbutton member and causing it to return to the extended position when another pushbutton member is depressed; a circuit board having electrical circuit leads formed by insulated conductor strips provided thereon and having the movable contacts of said switches fixedly attached to said board and connected to said conductor strips; and mounting means mounting said pushbutton members on one side of said circuit board to enable movement of the pushbutton members and their associated cam actuators substantially parallel to said circuit board.

Claim 9

The switch apparatus of claim 6 which also includes illumination means selectively illuminating the pushbutton members which are made of light conducting material when they are depressed into a switch operating position, said illumination means including a single light source and a light guide member mounted behind the rear ends of said pushbutton members with a plurality of light conducting branches of said light guide member extending to light output ends positioned adjacent the depressed positions of said rear ends of the pushbutton members.

Claim 10

The switch apparatus of claim 7 in which the light input ends of said branches have different areas which increase in area for branches having their output ends a greater distance from the light source.

Claim 11

A switching device comprising: mounting means; a plurality of selectively operated pushbutton means of light conductive material disposed in said mounting means for selective movement relative thereto between one position and another position; movable contact means disposed along said mounting means adjacent said pushbutton means; stationary contact means provided in alignment with said movable contact means; cam means on said pushbutton means for engagement with said movable contact means for moving said movable contact means into and out of engagement with said stationary contact means; locking means between said mounting means and said pushbutton means for locking one of said pushbutton means in the one position defining a contact-operating position, and for releasing another of said pushbutton means when said one pushbutton means is moved to said one position; and illumination means for selectively transmitting light through inner ends of said pushbutton means when the selected pushbutton means has been moved to said contact-operating position and into light-coupling relationship with said illumination means thereby illuminating an outer end of said selected pushbutton means.

Claim 12

A switching device comprising: mounting means; a plurality of selectively operated pushbutton means of light conductive material disposed in said mounting means for selective movement relative thereto between one position and another position; movable contact means disposed along said mounting means adjacent said pushbutton means; stationary contact means provided in alignment with said movable contact means; cam means on said pushbutton means for engagement with said movable contact means for moving said movable contact means into and out of engagement with said stationary contact means; locking means between said mounting means and said pushbutton means for locking one of said pushbutton means in the one position defining a contact-operating position, and for releasing another of said pushbutton means when said one pushbutton means is moved to said one position; and illumination means for selectively transmitting light through inner ends of said pushbutton means when the selected pushbutton means has been moved to said contact-operating position and into light-coupling relationship with said illumination means thereby illuminating an outer end of said selected pushbutton means.

Claim 13

A switching device according to claim 9 wherein said illumination means comprise a light guide having light-conducting branches with light output ends, light source means disposed within an opening in said light guide, said light-conducting branches having different cross-sectional areas which increase in area with the distance from the light source means.

Claim 14

A switching device according to claim 9 wherein shutter means is positioned adjacent said illumination means and having apertures through which the inner-ends of said pushbutton means extend when in said contact-operating position, and shutter means closing said apertures when said pushbutton means are in said another position.